Setting up a long suit is a basic play technique. But establishing long cards won’t help if the hand that has them can’t gain the lead.

At 3NT, declarer has eight top tricks. For one more, he looks to dummy’s long diamond suit. If he wins the first heart in his hand and takes the A-K of diamonds, West will win the next diamond and lead another heart to force out the ace, dummy’s last entry. Though South can concede another diamond to set up the fifth diamond, he can’t reach dummy to take it.

SECOND TRICK

South must preserve a link. At Trick Two he plays a low diamond from both hands. When East leads a second heart, South plays low and wins the third heart.

East follows suit, so the defense can take only one more heart trick. South can safely lead a second low diamond from dummy to cope with a 4-1 break. After West wins and cashes a heart, South has the rest.

DAILY QUESTION

You hold: S 8 4 H A 6 3 D A K 6 4 3 C 5 3 2. Your partner opens one spade, you respond two diamonds and he bids two hearts. What do you say?

ANSWER: This problem has no good solution. You will often encounter such problems. You have enough strength to invite game — indeed, partner isn’t expecting you to pass — but you lack a descriptive bid. Some players might take a “false preference” to two spades. My reluctant choice would be a bid of 2NT despite the weak clubs.

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